Well pumps · 24/7
Outside Victoria Harbour, Port McNicoll and Waubaushene, most homes in Tay run on a private well. No water, low pressure, a pump that won't stop: we fix it, day and night, from Waverley and Vasey to Sturgeon Bay.
Rural roads we cover: Waverley · Vasey · Old Fort · Sturgeon Bay · Ebenezer
Troubleshooting
Well pump not working? Most no-water calls come down to one of four things. Check them in order, and if the water's still off, skip searching for well pump repair near me: call us.
Check 1 of 4
Find the well pump breaker in the panel, often a double breaker. If it tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, leave it off: that's a pump or wiring fault.
Check 2 of 4
Look at the gauge on the pressure tank. Near zero means the pump isn't delivering water. A normal reading but no water at the taps points to a clogged filter or a line problem.
Check 3 of 4
The grey box near the tank starts the pump. If the gauge is low and you hear no click, the switch or its little tube is the likely cause. Don't open it: it's live.
Check 4 of 4
A cold snap and no water? The line from the well, or the pipe where it enters the house, may be frozen. Don't use a torch.
Frozen pipesIt's likely the pump itself, the wiring down the well or the pressure tank. We answer day and night.
Good. If it happens again, book a check: the cause is often still there.
Power outages
A well pump runs on electricity. When a squall or an ice storm takes the power out, the taps go dry too. A well pump power outage plan takes five minutes now.
Fill jugs and the tub when a storm is coming. Without power, the pump can't refill the tank.
A generator for the well pump is connected by a licensed electrician, with a transfer switch. Never through an outlet.
Watch the pressure gauge climb, open a tap to clear the air, and call if the pump won't stop or won't start.
Well types
The kind of well decides the kind of pump: a submersible well pump down a drilled well, or a jet pump for a shallow one. Here's how to tell yours from the yard.
A steel casing about 15 cm wide sticks out of the ground with a cap on top. It's deep, so the pump sits down in the well: a drilled well pump, or deep well pump.
A wide concrete ring, often a metre or more across, with a heavy lid. It's shallow, so a jet pump in the basement or a submersible does the work.
A small pipe driven into sandy ground, common at cottages near the water. A shallow well pump, usually a jet pump, sits beside it or in the house.
Pressure tank
The well pressure tank stores water under pressure so the pump doesn't start every time you open a tap. The gauge on it tells you a lot. Pick what yours is doing.
The pump starts at the low setting, often around 40 psi, stops around 60, and rests between cycles. That's a healthy pressure tank and switch.
Short cycling well pump: on, off, on again within seconds. The tank is waterlogged or has lost its air charge. The pump wears out fast; often a pressure tank replacement fixes it.
Low water pressure on a well: a worn pump, a clogged filter, a failing well pressure switch or a leak in the line.
Installation
A new well pump sized to your well and your house. Well pump replacement or a first install, done in five steps. Need well pump installation near me, on a rural road? That's most of our well work.
We handle the pump, the pressure tank and water treatment. A new well is drilled by a licensed well contractor.
Water testing
Water that looks and tastes fine can still carry E. coli. A well water test costs nothing for bacteria, and it's the first thing to do before choosing any treatment.
Test at least three times a year
Free well water testing also makes sense after any flood, and when you open a cottage for the season.
Water treatment
Most wells in the area need some treatment: hard water, iron, a sulphur smell or bacteria. Pick what you're dealing with.
Calcium and magnesium in the water.
Water softener. Water softener installation sized to your hardness and household.
Dissolved iron that turns rusty once it meets air.
Iron filter. An iron filter before the softener keeps both working.
Hydrogen sulphide in the well, sometimes made worse by the water heater anode.
Oxidizing filter. An oxidizing filter removes the sulphur smell in the water at the source.
Surface water getting into the well, often after heavy rain.
UV system. The well is disinfected and retested, then UV water treatment guards every glass.
Well line
A frozen well line is the classic January call on a rural road. Well water line repair is about depth: the line has to stay below the frost line all the way to the house.
Cottages
Georgian Bay cottage water comes from a shallow well or straight from the lake. Either way, the cottage water system has to survive the winter empty.
Well Pump Reviews
From sudden water loss and unreliable pressure to well pump replacements and cottage water systems, hear about well pump service in homes and rural properties around Georgian Bay.
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We woke up one morning with no water anywhere in the house. The pressure gauge was sitting at zero and the well pump wasn't coming on. Our property is on a private well, so we couldn't use the kitchen, shower or washing machine. The technician checked the electrical supply, pressure switch and tank before looking into the pump itself. He explained the tests and confirmed the submersible pump had failed. The old pump was pulled from the well and replaced with one suited to our system. The piping and electrical connections were inspected before everything went back into service. He tested the pressure at several taps and made sure the pump started and stopped at the proper settings. Having running water back was a huge relief. I appreciated that they diagnosed the problem before recommending a replacement.
Submersible Well Pump ReplacementOur well pump started running every time we opened a tap, even for a few seconds. The pressure kept jumping up and down, and I was worried the pump was wearing out. The plumber checked the tank and found the internal bladder had failed. He installed a new pressure tank, set the air charge and tested the pump cycles. The pressure is steady now and the pump doesn't start every time someone uses water.
Well Pressure Tank ReplacementWe were getting very little water from the taps, and the well pump wasn't starting when the pressure dropped. I thought the pump down in the well had failed. The technician tested the system and found the pressure switch had worn electrical contacts. He replaced the switch, checked the pressure gauge and adjusted the cut-in and cut-out settings. Everything is working properly again without having to pull the pump out of the well.
Well Pump Pressure Switch RepairOur shallow well jet pump kept losing its prime after sitting unused overnight. We had to add water to the pump before it would work again, which was getting old. The plumber checked the suction line and found a fitting that was allowing air into the system. He repaired the connection, checked the foot valve and primed the pump again. We tested the taps several times. The pump now holds its prime and the pressure stays consistent.
Jet Well Pump RepairThe water pressure in our house had been getting weaker for months. The shower barely worked if someone was using the kitchen tap. I assumed our well pump needed replacing. The technician checked the pump pressure and traced the restriction to a sediment filter that was badly clogged. He replaced the cartridge and tested the flow at different fixtures. The pressure was back to normal. I'm glad the pump itself was still in good shape.
Well Water Pressure DiagnosisWe needed a new well pump system for our cottage before the summer visitors arrived. The old jet pump was noisy and struggled to maintain pressure when more than one tap was open. The plumber checked the existing well setup and installed a replacement jet pump with a properly sized pressure tank. He tested the suction line, primed the pump and checked the water pressure throughout the cottage. He also explained how to drain the system before closing up for winter.
Cottage Well Pump InstallationOur well pump stopped starting reliably, and we occasionally had no water in the morning. I was expecting an expensive pump replacement. The technician tested the three-wire pump's control box and discovered a failed starting capacitor. He replaced the faulty component and checked the electrical readings before running several pump cycles. The system has been starting normally since. I'm glad they checked the controls before deciding the pump was bad.
Well Pump Control Box RepairDuring periods of heavy water use, our well pump would sometimes lose pressure and keep running without delivering enough water. The technician checked the pressure system and explained that our well's recovery rate needed to be considered. He installed low-water protection to shut the pump down if it started running dry and showed us how the reset works. He was clear that the device wouldn't increase the well's water supply, but it would help protect the pump from damage.
Well Pump Low-Water ProtectionHaving trouble with your well pump? Tell us about the water pressure, pump or well system problem at your home or cottage.
Request Well Pump ServiceFAQ
What people on a well ask us most.
Call and describe the problem. A real person answers, day and night.
(249) 700-2683Yes, 24/7. No water in the house is an emergency, and we treat it like one.
What to check firstA submersible pump often lasts 10 to 15 years. Short cycling, sand or running dry shortens that a lot.
Short cyclingThat's short cycling. The pressure tank is usually waterlogged or has lost its air charge, or the pressure switch is failing.
Pressure tank and switchA narrow steel casing with a cap is drilled. A wide concrete ring with a lid is dug. A small pipe in sandy ground is a sand point.
Well typesYes, for bacteria, through the health unit. Bottles are at the municipal office. Minerals like hardness and iron are tested by a private lab.
Well water testingIf you see white scale on taps and kettles, probably. If the stains are orange, start with an iron filter.
Water treatmentNo. We handle the pump, the pressure tank and water treatment. A new well is drilled by a licensed well contractor, and we take it from there.
Keep water on hand. A generator for the pump must be connected by a licensed electrician with a transfer switch. When the power returns, check the pressure.
No power, no waterRequest Service
Tell us what the water is doing. We'll call you back to set the visit, or come now if you have no water.
Is it an emergency? Skip the form and call: we answer 24/7.
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Service area
Well pump repair from Waverley and Vasey to Sturgeon Bay, and in Tiny, Springwater and Severn. If your water comes from a well, we come to you.
In the township
Nearby
Based in Victoria Harbour. Plumbing for homes, cottages and businesses around southern Georgian Bay, 24/7.
